In our fondest dreams ...

[Neil Brooks]

That #2 was worded ambiguously. Should have said that ONLY public financing may be used for those campaigns.

Get the $$$$ out of politics or NOTHING substantial will change.

[Tim Daneliuk]

cf The Constitution Of The US The Federalist Papers The Declaration Of Independence The letters of Jefferson et al

Therein you will find the source for my "failed arguments" and bumper stickers.

[CW]

Yes and no. If you truly believe that either one would do just as well as the other, then don't vote. If you believe that one would do a better job than the other, even if it is not the job you would like, then vote.

[Neil Brooks]

cal means - to see

cause that is stealing.

Please provide demographics, and a rather comprehensive view of the nature of our society, the % rural vs. % urban, the percent of the GDP that is represented by Agriculture vs. industry, etc.

Thanks.

Do you read 225 year old health texts, too, if you get MRSA?

[krw]

Why should they get *two* votes?

Psst! They get the house without a divorce, too. Once you say "I do", she gets. ;-)

[CW]

What public interest? If one is not willing to vote, they probably haven't the knowledge to make an informed vote. Lots of people choosing candidates by coin toss does no one any good. If there are only 50 people in the country that are willing to vote, then the election should be decided by the

50 that are concerned enough about the way the country is run.

[krw]

Another moron heard from.

[Neil Brooks]

Which is better, for a voting populace: to be uninformed and vote or to be mis-informed and vote.

Where SHOULD one get their information?

Again: if you aren't reading source documents (or cross-referencing your sources against them, periodically, to verify the objectivity of the reporting), then ... you're just listening to what you want to hear: slice or hook ... whatever your stripe is.

[krw]

As is your right, but do use that mirror if that's really the case.

[krw]

That's all it ever has been. There never has been a time where the candidates will please everyone about everything. Even 80% for 80%.

[Tim Daneliuk]

I study books that have a demonstrated track record of either great success or great failure - to learn to succeed or to avoid failure respectively. The Lockeian government formed by Jefferson et al was a smashing success. All collectivist systems have been abysmal failures and usually human rights horror shows.

The demographic composition then- and now is irrelevant to this discussion except for people trying to find ways to justify their collectivist ideology.

[Leon]

I think if you chose 85 there probably would be more politicians than voters, assuming politicians were not included in the voter base.

[Neil Brooks]

hical means - to see

because that is stealing.

It's one thing to try to model the ideals of "Conservatism," but ... to actively ignore -- as you make it sound as though you do -- ALL of the myriad and profound changes that have taken place in our world since our nation's inception ... seems ... rather closed-minded, no?

To rhetorically reject all advancements of society for the purposes of viewing -- as narrowly as humanly possible -- the intentions, implications, scope, and ideals of the Founding Fathers ... while ... posting on the Internet ... is something I can't quite get my head around....

Or ... should I just adopt your approach to a discussion and say that ... 'such a narrow view of the construction of these documents is nothing but a way for people to justify their Social Darwinism ideology?'

[Neil Brooks]

[snip[

Ohhhhh, Gee.

THIS just HAS to be your work:

"If ever there was any doubt about the elitist mentality of today=92s Left, one needs only to witness their condescension and smarm in response to those who oppose their communist-lite healthcare agenda."

Am I right??

Wow. On the (slightly risky, I know) presumption that it is ... well ... take care, then. Bye-bye.

[Nonny]

I feel that ALL elected officials should have just TWO terms: One as elected and one in prison for what the did in the former.

[Nonny]

Scrap that: where would it leave the democrats?

[J. Clarke]

Looks good on paper but has a _bad_ history in the US, where a black Caltech PhD couldn't pass the government's IQ test but an inbred white hick could in some states.

[Nonny]

I have long held that there should be a voting system where the contributors to society have the say, and the takers get what's left. In my ideal system, the citizens of our country would get ONE VOTE for each dollar paid in Federal Income Taxes. Period.

[Neil Brooks]

In office, obviously, but I'm not sure that solves anything....

[Neil Brooks]

They do usually point to Stanford-Binet as being *terrifyingly* culturally biased, so ... yeah ... I agree.

By the way ... that latter chap lives about three doors down from me ;-)